Sam,
While we're on the subject, I just read this weekend about a solar powered
plane that is quite interesting:
http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-amp-space/article/2009-06/forever-pl
ane
And another Darpa solar powered project:
http://www.popsci.com/military-aviation-space/article/2008-03/darpas-new-goa
l-plane-flies-five-years
Unfortunately, I don't see any of this as being useful in US cities due to;
1) power issues, 2) bandwidth. Using current charging and storage
technologies, as well as available FCC frequencies that would be needed for
high density coverage, I don't see this as being anywhere near currently
feasible. Now, if you used it to cover a larger area, i.e., lower density,
wide coverage, and the power limitations could be resolved, you might have
something for parts of the US and the world.
I have provided wireless hardware and consulting to some US military
contractors some of whom have worked on battlefield dirigibles with high
power 2.4GHz and other frequencies. They are very effective for relatively
short term use but rather expensive for non-military use.
Again, my $.02 worth...
Rick Lindahl
"Your Wireless Solution Partner"
Invictus Networks, LLC
503-635-2562, f 503-635-9207
http://www.invictusnetworks.com
http://www.invictuswireless.com new estore
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Sam Churchill
Sent: Monday, June 22, 2009 11:38 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [ptp-general] Re: Weather Balloons to Serve Up Web Access in Africa
The overlords are Boeing and Lockheed with their Russian partners. But
they need broadband backbones via satellite. When they get full
overflight access in the United States, the market will explode.
UAVs will likely play an increased role in search and rescue in the
United States as well as border control. Cities may come next.
Tier I and Tier II UAVs almost never use satellite links because they
can’t support the size and weight of high-gain tracking antennas, but
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle";
target=new>Tier II UAVs</a> (medium altitude, long endurance) like the
<a href="http://www.milsatmagazine.com/2009/MSM_Jan09.pdf";
target=new>MQ-1 Predator</a> and <a
href="http://www.milsatmagazine.com/2009/MSM_Jan09.pdf";
target=new>MQ-9 Reaper</a>, use L- or C-band links as well as S-band.
Newer satellite platforms could bring broadband connectivity to small
UAVs.
DARPA is expected to sign a Vulture contract shortly, building an UAV
with an endurance of 5 years. Lockheed's UAV is solar-powered, like
the <a
href="http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/eco-tech-aurora-s-solar-powered-uav-can
-stay-aloft-for-five-years/"
target=new>Aurora</a> and <a
href="http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2008/q2/080421d_nr.html";
target=new>Boeing concepts</a> selected for study under <a
href="http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/080310-technov-helios.html";
target=new>Darpa’s Vulture program</a>.
DARPA, of course, is already planning a 65,000 foot comm center in the
sky using autonomous balloons.
I think the satellite backbone is vital to the success of the Russians
and Boeing. That's while they'll get on board the "digital divide" in
the next few months. ViaSat.
- Sam
--------
On Mon, Jun 22, 2009 at 11:16 AM, Tom Higgins<[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Every 24 hours your connection goes hurtling to the ground. Yea at 50
> bucks a bag its probably a cost you can have your customers eat if the
> only alternative is radio fax. For the states I do not think this is a
> viable option for other than one off projects, othernet instances or
> for when the dark lords shut down our tubes and we are forced to use
> whatever methods necessary to keep our flow of Squidbilly torrents
> going.
>
> It looks like this solution might finaly have found an actual problem
> area to solve for.
>
> -tomh
>
> >
>
--
Sam Churchill
(www.dailywireless.org)
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